Iran vs. New Zealand Prediction, Picks, Lineups for World Cup 2026

Iran and New Zealand meet for the first time in a matchday one clash at the 2026 World Cup. The Group G matchup is the final match of a packed four-game Monday slate on June 15.

Kickoff is set for 9:00 p.m. ET at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood on FS1 and Telemundo. Ahead of the match, Iran is favored and returns a 1.78x payout on PrizePicks Team Picks with a victory.

Below, we’ll break down our Iran vs. New Zealand prediction and picks for Monday night’s World Cup 2026 match, including the spread, total goals, and key player picks for PrizePicks.

Make your Iran vs. New Zealand prediction and World Cup picks on PrizePicks now!

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Iran vs. New Zealand World Cup 2026 Prediction, Spread, Total Goals – Monday, June 15

How to watch Iran vs. New Zealand: FS1 (English) / Telemundo/Peacock

Kickoff Time: 9:00 p.m. ET

Venue: SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, California

Group: Group G

Iran is considered the favorite against the infamous Tim Payne and New Zealand in both sides' opening match of the 2026 World Cup. These two countries meet for the first time in either nation's history on the biggest stage in international football.

Iran, ranked #20 in FIFA Rankings, may have a serious chance of qualifying for the knockout stages for the first time with a win on Monday evening.

Iran enters the tournament in solid form, having won its last three straight pre-tournament friendlies by an average goal differential of 3. The Asian side looked strong during the AFC qualifiers, winning 11 of 16 matches, topping its group in both rounds.

They now face a New Zealand side that has struggled as of late, winning one of its last 11 matches. 

Payne and Co. dominated the Oceania qualifiers; however, Iran and the rest of Group G are undoubtedly a level above the competition they face in their home region. The All Whites return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010, and just the third time in the country’s history.

New Zealand is considered the biggest underdog of the group, but stealing points on Monday could change that.

Iran vs. New Zealand: Favorite to Win, Spread, Total Goals – Monday, June 15

Iran enters Monday’s game as slight favorites, returning a 1.78x payout if they win outright, via PrizePicks Team Picks. New Zealand, meanwhile, will look to make its return to the World Cup worthwhile as it seeks its first victory in the competition with an upset.

Here are the full payouts for the Iran vs. New Zealand match on PrizePicks.

• Winner Payout: Iran – 1.78x | Tie – 3.12x | New Zealand – 4.34x
• Spread: Iran -1.5 (3.33x Payout) 
• Total Goals: 2.5 (Over – 2.38x)
• Both Teams to Score: Yes 2.12x | No 1.66x

Payouts show potential returns on correct Team Picks predictions. A 2x payout returns $200 on a $100 entry. Lower multipliers reflect outcomes users are picking as more likely. Payouts are live as of writing and subject to change.

Make your Iran vs. New Zealand prediction on spread or goals on PrizePicks Team Picks — available in 35 states!

Iran vs. New Zealand Prediction on Total Goals for World Cup 2026 

Here are the key stats and trends for Iran vs. New Zealand before making your World Cup 2026 predictions on PrizePicks.

• New Zealand has failed to score in four of its last five matches, averaging just 9.6 total shots in that span.
• Iran allowed around 1 goal per contest in its last two regional competitions but has tightened up defensively as of late, keeping five clean sheets in its last seven matches.
• Iran dominated possession throughout its knockout-round run in the CAFA Nations Cup. They scored a competition-high 8 goals during that tournament. 
• New Zealand scored 15 goals in just four games against its Oceania counterparts. The All Whites have scored 9 goals in 12 games since.
• New Zealand was held to just 3 total shots in its final pre-tournament friendly against England. They took a single corner and finished the contest with just 0.15 xG.

Lock in your Iran vs. New Zealand prediction for the 2026 World Cup now!

Iran vs. New Zealand Lineups for World Cup 2026 – Monday, June 15

Here are the projected Iran vs. New Zealand lineups for today's World Cup Group G match. Lineups are not official and are based on historical data.

Iran Lineup vs. New Zealand Today

Projected Formation: 5-3-2

• Goalkeeper: Alireza Beiranvand
• Defense: Ramin Rezaeian, Saleh Hardani, Hossein Kanaani, Shoja Khalilzadeh, Ehsan Hajsafi
• Midfield: Mahdi Torabi, Saeid Ezatolahi, Mohammed Mohebi
• Forwards: Ali Alipourghara, Mehdi Taremi

New Zealand Lineup vs. Iran Today

Projected Formation: 4-2-3-1

• Goalkeeper: Max Crocombe
• Defense: Liberato Cacace, Michael Boxall, Finn Surman, Tim Payne
• Midfield: Marco Stamenić, Joe Bell, Jesse Randall
• Forwards: Sarpeet Singh, Chris Wood, Elijah Just

Iran vs. New Zealand Picks, Player Stats for World Cup: 6/15/26

Here are the top Iran vs. New Zealand player picks to target on Monday, June 15. Today’s World Cup 2026 picks are headlined by Tim Payne, Mehdi Ghayedi, and Max Crocombe.

New Zealand DF Tim Payne vs. Iran 

Tim Payne Projections via PrizePicks: 20.5 Passes Attempted, 0.5 Goal + Assist (Demon), 0.5 Fouls (Goblin)

• Payne has had 21+ passes attempted in two of his last three matches for New Zealand despite not completing a full 90 minutes in any of those games.
• The social media star had 5 G/A in New Zealand’s final two matches during the Oceania qualifiers.
• Payne has had at least 1 foul in five of his last seven matches for New Zealand dating back to September of last year.

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Iran F Mehdi Taremi vs. New Zealand

Mehdi Taremi Projections via PrizePicks: 2 Shots, 1.5 Shots Assisted, 0.5 Assists (Demon)

• Iran’s veteran forward has scored or assisted in three of his last four appearances for his country. He averaged 2.4 shots per game in Greece’s top flight for Olympiacos.
• Taremi averaged 2.6 key passes per game in his final six matches of the AFC Qualifiers. He finished with 7 assists in 15 matches.
• The 33-year-old has been one of Iran’s most dangerous attacking threats since debuting in 2015. Taremi has 71 G/A in 104 appearances for the Asian side.

Combine Iran + Mehdi Taremi World Cup picks for bigger payouts on PrizePicks.

New Zealand GK Max Crocombe vs. Iran 

Max Crocombe Projections via PrizePicks: 3 Goalie Saves, 29.5 Passes Attempted, 9.5 Goalie Fantasy Score

• Crocombe averaged 3.4 saves in 23 games for Millwall in the England Championship. He has 20 combined saves in his last five starts for New Zealand.
• The 32-year-old has had 30+ passes attempted in just one of his last six matches. 
• Crocombe could have plenty of action on Monday evening, with his squad conceding 19 shots per game to its opponents in his last five starts. 

Combine New Zealand + Max Crocombe World Cup picks for bigger payouts on PrizePicks.

Make Your Iran vs. New Zealand Prediction on PrizePicks

Iran’s quest for its first-ever knockout round appearance in the World Cup begins with New Zealand in a Group G opener for both sides. New Zealand will hope to steal points in its first World Cup action in 16 years against the Asian side. Will New Zealand have enough firepower to upset Iran?

Don’t wait until lock. Make your Iran vs. New Zealand picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right on every World Cup game.

Pick World Cup players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if you’re right. With Team Picks, you can make predictions on World Cup match winners, spreads, and over/unders, now available in 35 states.

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